


Winter Fairy

by minsangthinker (peronazone)



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: (basically yeosang is a ghost & mingi is a witch), Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas Time, M/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:06:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28309461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peronazone/pseuds/minsangthinker
Summary: Of Ghosts & Magic.--Mingi meets Yeosang, a snow spirit, one night at a bus stop with no buses running and then again years later at an ice rink, not skating.
Relationships: Kang Yeosang/Song Mingi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Winter Fairy

**Author's Note:**

> a/n; this is a bit late for a Christmas oneshot,, it was meant to be a oneshot but now there's a cliffhanger and more story to go. i don't know when i'll update this but i know where the story is going from here! may end with a second chapter or a third depending on how it goes.

The snow falls slowly along the deep night. Not a star in sight, clouds encasing the places they’d be seen leaving only a gap for the moon to shine through. The moonbeam shines in his eyes and he raises a hand to block the light.  
  


“You’re going to catch a cold.”  
A small voice says unexpectedly.  
  


Yeosang shifts his attention from the sky to the sound of the voice.  
  


It’s a young boy sitting on the bus stop bench. Protected from the snow by the awning above it. He’s shivering slightly despite his heavy coat. Looks surprised to be acknowledged like as if he hadn’t just announced himself present.  
  


The wind sweeps up the braid of Yeosang’s hair.. as white as the snow that falls around it almost frozen in time a moment for comparison. He looks at the young boy with furrowed brow confusion.  
  


Then he smiles slightly, ducks his head, and stuffs his hands into his pockets.  
  


“I’m not… going to catch a cold.”  
  


Words, spoken shyly like an inside joke. It confuses the kid more. He leans and stretches as if a new vantage point will reveal some sort of portable heater or answer of some sort.  
  


Mingi huffs out a puff of white as he settles back on the bench— search fruitless.  
  


“What are you talking about? Of course, you are!”  
  


He insists. It’s the only thing that makes sense. This odd kid standing on the sidewalk in strange clothes with no coat…   
  


Tall but thin boots, not fit for walking in the snow. Weird poofy pants that tighten out below the knee. Colorful transparent fabric sashes of blue and purple. A turtleneck with leather arm wraps? Not to mention the belt of dangling diamond shapes. It’s like the boy walked straight out of a fantasy show he’s seen on tv. With his hair all long and face so pretty, he probably is an actor.   
  


Probably?  
  


Yeosang tilts his head with thought. Is honesty the route to go or..   
  
  


Should he pretend to be human?  
  
  


You wouldn’t be able to tell it by looking at him, by hearing him— that Yeosang is actually a spirit. In fact, nobody usually gets the chance to assess if he’s real because… no human has ever seen him before.   
  


For a 200-year-old spirit, he’s taking it pretty well.  
  


The first living person to see and talk to him since he first realized that he was the ghost being a little kid in the middle of nowhere? It’s.. more shocking to think of it that way but he’s doing fine.  
  


Yeosang clears his throat slightly and turns to the boy, the fabrics on his person floating with the wind at the motion. He holds his hands out, palms to the sky. The boy looks on with nervous interest.  
  


“I can’t feel cold.”  
  


There’s a pause of silence as his words sink in. The snow crunches under Yeosang’s feet as he approaches and crouches down before the bench.  
  


Mingi looks up at that moment. Just in time to see Yeosang’s face in full view.  
  


“Why— ah! Are your ears like that?”  
  


Yeosang’s brows furrow and a pout of thought takes his lips as he tilts his head to the side, taps his pointed ears, and looks to Mingi’s rounded ones. He drops his hand.  
  


“What’s wrong with my ears? All the fairies have them like this. You’re the strange one, kiddo.”  
  


Mingi stares. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans back against the bench. Trying to achieve the energy of a very serious businessman but— y’know— also being a small child. His expression is unimpressed but his eyes dart to the ears with interest.  
  


“You look like more of a kiddo than me!! I’m not a kiddo…” He mutters out. “I turned 13 months ago!”  
  


“13? Wooow.” Yeosang leans back and whistles as if impressed. “I turned 212 this year.”  
  


Mingi scoffs and hugs his backpack to his chest, resting his head on it. He looks like he’s considering it. Looking him over for anything to show he is the age he says with him though, honestly, Yeosang doesn’t visually look that much older than him.  
  


“No way…”  
  


“Yes, way!! I told you I’m a fairy.”  
  


Mingi hums at those words and Yeosang holds in a laugh. He props an arm on one of his knees and his head in that hand as he waits for Mingi’s response.  
  


What he doesn’t expect is the quiet, shy question…  
  


“Is that why you don’t feel cold? You’re a winter fairy?”  
  


A pang to the heart. Just. An immediate arrow shot to the heart. Yeosang nearly falls back at that. Admittedly.. He is not a fairy. He’s just a mere spirit— maybe bordering on demon at this point. The jury's still out on that one. He's done enough mischievous things to be considered one by some mortals.  
  


Yeosang is silent. Staring in awe of the innocence in that simple question. Mingi looks up and he snaps his attention to the sky to not get caught staring.  
  


“Is that what they’re teaching you in school? That’s impressive.”  
  


He hears the laughter. Turns his eyes back to the boy. Smiles.. Just lightly as the snow falls gently beyond their spot in the shade.  
  


“I know that’s sarcasm.. But school doesn’t teach anything as interesting as that. My mom taught me about them.”  
  


Yeosang sets his crossed arms on Mingi’s knees. He lets out a hum of his own and tilts his head to the side with an amused smirk.  
  


“Now why would your mom teach you about fairies? You know they are notorious tricksters, right?” He pauses and looks to the side. “Fairies, I mean. Not mothers. Although…”  
  


There comes that laughter again but now hands bat on his arms. Mingi mutters something about him being ridiculous and Yeosang laughs along with him.  
  


They fall into silence and Yeosang takes this opportunity to stand. Mingi looks on at him with wide eyes and worry but seems to settle when he just sits down beside him. It makes Yeosang realize that there’s.. Really no one else around. It’s dark, this kid is out here all alone, the bus isn’t here.  
  


It takes a few glances around in the moments of silence to realize— there’s nobody coming for this kid. Nobody that knows he’s out there. He bites his lip and stares off into the darkness. He leans back against the bench.  
  


“What are you doing out here, kid? Where’re your parents?”  
  


There’s an added beat of silence. Then an annoyed huff of breath. It surprises Yeosang into looking over again with raised brows. He sees Mingi looking at him like ‘really?’ with an unimpressed expression.  
  


“I’m old enough to be out past curfew. I’m waiting on the bus to get home— obviously!”  
  


Good kid. That definitely relieves the worries that this kid is homeless or ran away from home. But he’s still out here alone in the cold. He may not be able to catch a cold but this kid being out here for so long in this weather…  
  


“Oh, my apologies! How mature of you. Your parents must be proud to have such a brave kid. Although… talking to a stranger is really up there on the list of things you should not be doing.”  
  


Mingi’s eyes widen for a moment. It’s like he hadn’t considered the fact that Yeosang is a stranger to him. He scratches the side of his head. Looks out at the darkness, taps his foot in the snow.  
  


“You’re not a stranger.” He seems to decide after a moment.  
  


The spirit is curious by this assessment. He leans to the side and braces his back on the armrest of the bench, knees up, arms rested crossed atop them.  
  


“How so?”  
  


The kid stares at him, does that scrutinizing look over kids do, and then has the audacity to scoff. Yeosang puts a hand to his chest and laughs shortly but he can’t keep the smirk off his lips that shows his genuine amusement— neither can Mingi.  
  


“You don’t look like an adult and that all… stranger danger stuff applies to like— creepy adults. You’re not creepy. You’re not human.”  
  


The way he lays it out like that with dramatic pauses at his last two points. The silence that follows it like he dropped a bombshell or blew both of their minds simultaneously with his genius. It’s very endearing. Yeosang can’t help but agree.   
  


He laughs and nods.  
Even though at some point he was human and now he’s here lying to a child to not scare him in the middle of the night.  
  


He hasn’t really taken the moment to consider how this kid can see him. Why he can see him. What this means for that kid. Is it dangerous to see spirits like him? He has met some dangerous spirits before. He’s lucky this kid saw him and not one of them.  
  


“So, you’re waiting for the bus, right?”  
  


“Yeahhh… it’s..” Mingi looks out at the snow. Pulls his legs up onto the bench and wraps his arms around them. “Running late.”  
  


Hmm..  
  


“Where’s it supposed to take you?”  
  


Mingi looks over. Then he looks in the opposite direction, raises his hand, but he looks lost for a second. There are only trees around them. It’s a nature park of sorts. Cabins in the woods. Houses in the woods. And this kid doesn’t live here…  
  


Mingi’s hand drops after he gestures vaguely down the street on the other side of the road.  
  


“Somewhere down there… back into town.”  
  


Yeosang keeps staring off in that direction and then looks to Mingi with a small smile and nod. He clears his throat a bit.  
  


“That’s a long way. Too far to walk?”  
  


The boy mutely nods and hugs his legs closer to his chest. His jeans are black and ripped. Sneakers wet from the snow. He looks cold. Still shivering. Yeosang doesn’t know how to help. He looks away.  
  


“Ah..”  
  


They sit in their thoughts. Yeosang, wondering if he can wander down the road— see if there’s light on in any of the cabins or if headlights are down the road in the distance. If there’s any place the boy can go to warm up.  
  


Meanwhile, Mingi has other thoughts, other concerns.  
  


“Fairy…?” He starts, catching the other’s eye. “Do you think the bus is coming?”  
  


It’s a nervous question. Spoken out quietly on a lonely night with no way to call home. Nowhere to go. Yeosang doesn’t know what to say. He tenses up, bites the inside of his cheek, and looks out on the snowy path. Hoping for the off-chance of catching headlights on the horizon at that moment...  
  


But no such luck.  
  


“I think…” Yeosang starts. Pauses. Takes a deep breath. “The snow is piling very high on the road… I don’t think cars can..” He trails off.  
  


“I knew it.”

  
The boy mutters out those few words quietly. And the silence falls again. He looks tired. Yeosang doesn’t know how long he’s been out here. When he was supposed to get home. There are so many unknowns about this situation and he just-- wishes he could do something.  
  


“Hey, fairy?” Mingi speaks up quietly, head resting heavily atop his backpack. “You can.. fly, right? Can you fly me home?”  
  


He can’t. He can’t fly he’s not a fairy.   
  


That is what he wants to say but instead, he just smiles and nods slowly.   
  


“I’ll.. get you home safe, don’t worry.”  
He says quietly as the boy drifts off the sleep and the snow stills around them…

— — — — _yeosang walks, carrying mingi on his back the whole way into town_

Mingi wakes up in bed that night. Snow, still falling gently outside his window; memories, fresh in his mind.  
  


But no proof that it really happened.   
  


He goes back to sleep thinking it was all just a dream but when he wakes up in the morning, his parents are worrying over him. Asking how he is, if he’s sick, how he got home.  
  


And there’s a necklace on the countertop that he didn’t have when he left. A bronze pendant shaped like a diamond wrapped in leather and loose, glittering blue fabric.

— — — — _eight years later_

That same necklace bounces back and forth in the air as Mingi runs onto campus. He’s late— oh man, he’s late.  
  


He clasps the pendant in his hand to stop it from swinging and tucks it under his shirt as he slows to a stop outside of the fine arts building.  
  


A breath of white passes past his vision at his heavy exhale. He looks up at the glass building and pulls his jacket tight around him.  
  


Leather jacket over a hoodie, a long-sleeved t-shirt under that, and he can still feel the bite of the cold.   
  


He shakes his head and pushes open the door to enter.   
  


It’s much warmer inside. Through some power of faith, his hood stayed up as he ran so he now pushes that down, shaking his hair out.   
  


Where is he supposed to go anyway?  
  


He’s only been to the art building a few times for classes. Always on the first floor… but there are three floors. Two floors that he has no idea how to navigate.  
  


A woman at a desk looks at him weirdly. Maybe he’s stood in place for too long. He chuckles a bit nervously, ducks his head, and speed-walks away.  
  


He has a vague idea of where the stairs are so he goes there, climbs them slowly, then pauses.  
  


Does he even know which door to go to? What number?  
  


Now, is the moment he decides to call in for help. He takes his phone out of his pocket and sits down on the top step.  
  


Text messages.  
  


‘hey what classroom did you want me to meet you in?’  
  


He waits a few moments, looks around the stairs. Sees some people are heading down, so he scoots to the side and checks his phone again.  
  


No response.  
  


Then he hears his name shouted in the distance.   
  


And he sighs.  
  


“MINGIII!! SONG MINGI! We’re upstairs! Your friends are upstairs!!” The voice continues.  
  


The people walking down the stairs look to him when he groans because of course they do. Talk to each other as he stands, nods lightly in their direction as they pass.  
  


He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. Then climbs the stairs as the shouting quiets to loud conversation.  
  


“What? I was sure he would hear that..”  
  


“Did you not stop to consider that he might not even be in the building before **_stealing my phone_ **?”  
  


Silence follows.  
  


Mingi takes that as a good enough opportunity to make his entrance. Standing in the doorway, more leaning against it.  
  


They haven’t noticed him yet. So he just stands and watches.  
  


A boy with blue hair, Hongjoong, stands with his hands on his hips. Paint on his face.. and a scolding look.  
  


Wooyoung stands before him looking down at the phone with a pout on his lips. He considers it for a second, then seems to start typing.  
  


Mingi leans against the doorframe.   
And waits.  
  


His phone chimes.  
  


The two men startle and look in his direction. Wooyoung’s face shifts from surprise to joy, Hongjoong’s from fright to confusion.  
  


“Mingi!! Ha! You see? I DID summon him.”  
  


Hongjoong sighs and accidentally smears more paint on his face when he goes to rub his forehead.  
  


“You’re ridiculous.. he was just downstairs...” He mutters as he turns around and ducks back into the room behind him.  
  


Probably to clean up his station so they can head out.   
  


They’re going Christmas shopping! It’s a bit.. late in the season. Mingi already has all his gifts bought for friends and family… but, for some reason, he’s going along on this shopping trip. Who knows why.  
  


“This is gonna be great! The luck of a witch is on our side. There’s no _way_ we could buy a bad present today.”  
  


Oh, right.   
That’s why.  
  


“I don’t think you should rely on—“  
  


Mingi is silenced by the loud sound of Hongjoong collapsing his easel. He sighs. Turns his attention back to Wooyoung and smiles.  
  


“I’ll do my best.”  
  
  


They take Hongjoong’s car into the city. It’s a short drive. The college is located in basically the heart of the city and they only needed to go a little out to get to one of the better shopping centers.  
  


It’s the traditional view of Christmas. Snowed paths, people clearing the roads every so often, a big tree down the way… in the center of the square, buildings strung in lights and festive banners.   
  


Mingi is in awe of it before he’s even taken a step out of the car. He zips up his leather jacket, throws up his hood, and steps out of the car.  
  


Only his hood to be knocked back off his head by a hand. He turns shocked eyes to Hongjoong.  
  


“I didn’t spend all night dying your hair red for you to just cover it up completely!”  
  


Wooyoung’s eyes dart from the lights to them.  
  


“You dyed his hair last night? Where?”  
  


Mingi’s brows furrow and he crosses his arms.  
  


“Did you not notice?”  
  


“Your hair’s been red before— I thought you got it dyed earlier this week or something..”  
  


Actually, his hair was orange before and now it’s a vibrant red but it’s a fair point. He concedes.   
  


Hongjoong looks between the two of them and shakes his head with a sigh.  
  


“I stayed over at Mingi’s place the other night. You know he has a whole cabinet of free hair dying products? Our hairstylist-to-be is holding out on us!”   
  


Hongjoong sets an arm on Mingi’s shoulder as he teases him and leaves it there as they walk. Though he does drop it after a moment and rolls his arm because of the height he had to lift it to do that.  
  


Mingi pretends not to notice but he smiles slightly to the side and covers it with a hand.  
  


“You’ve been over to his place? What’s it like?”  
  


“I’ve been over a few times, yea—“ Hongjoong tries to speak but he’s cut off by Wooyoung again.  
  


“Mingi!! How come I’ve never been there?”  
  


They’ve stopped in the middle of the road for this conversation. Mingi checks anxiously for cars or those random horse-drawn carriages that always seem to show up around Christmas. He looks to Wooyoung, rests one hand on his hip, and gives the only answer he can think of.  
  


“You never asked.”  
  


Wooyoung gasps in a dramatic fashion.  
  


Hongjoong laughs.   
  


“It’s a nice place, Wooyoungie! You’re really missing out.”   
  


Mingi side-steps around them with his hands in his pockets. Doesn’t enjoy standing in the middle of the road. Doesn’t enjoy standing out in the cold and freezing to death. So, to progress.  
  


They follow along the moment he starts walking though but he doesn’t avoid the continued conversation.  
  


“At least tell me if there’s a really cool giant altar or something!!”  
  


“I’m not a cultist Wooyoung and you should really stop taking horror movie logic for fact… and also stop sending me those! You know I don’t watch horror movies…”  
  


Wooyoung pouts and kicks a pebble muttering something about the movie seeming historical. He pulls his big coat closer around himself and huffs out a breath into the side.   
  


Hongjoong looks confused between the two of them and shoves his hands into the big pockets on his coveralls. His hands have no right to be cold when swallowed up by an oversized cardigan so it’s probably just for visual effect.  
  


“I didn’t see anything like that.. but there was a table covered in crystals and more dried herbs in the kitchen than actual food.”  
  


The way Wooyoung’s eyes light up…  
  


Mingi feels a sense of betrayal as he looks at Hongjoong’s cheeky grin. It’s true but he didn’t realize Hongjoong noticed all that!  
  


“HA!! I knew it!”  
  


With a tint to his cheeks, Mingi pulls his hood up and huffs out a frozen breath. Though he wants to prevent witch stereotypes, he finds himself falling into them anyway.  
  


“All witches have crystals... it’s the first step. It’s not like.. covering-the-walls amount, just a few on a table— hush!”  
  


Mingi has to pause his speech to call Wooyoung out for laughing. A finger pointed at him accusatory. He drops his hand. Deciding to give up because he’s been caught and there’s no getting out of this.  
  


“So, anyway, what exactly are we looking for?”  
  


A decent enough distraction.  
  


Wooyoung looks out on the snow-covered shops and purses his lips in thought. Then he seems to spot something with an ‘oh!’ and a big smile. He points in the direction of a building a little ways away with lit-up windows and glowing decorations of lights strung across the doorframe.  
  


“I read about that place online. It’s an antique shop! There’s gotta be some cool magical artifacts there.”  
  


Mingi looks to the building and then to Wooyoung who looks at him with a child-like joy that he is not sure he can crush by saying there’s no such thing. If Mingi had known this is where this shopping trip was going, he would have just taken them to a witch’s shop downtown. Or made something. He… _is_ a witch. It’s kind of his job. Or, dream job at least.  
  


“Cool magical artifacts?”  
  


“Yeah! Like… a lucky coin or something from long ago that’s been infused with magic.”  
  


Mingi is not sure how Wooyoung knows about that but there is some truth in his words. There certainly are objects infused like that or with whatever energy a customer may request. He’s made plenty of lucky charms for friends before exams.   
  


But… the thing about charms is that they don’t last forever. He might be able to sense if an object had a charm attached to it at some point but it would have faded if it was older than a year. There’s no guarantee he could restore it if the charm is complicated.  
  


Wooyoung doesn’t have to know that though.  
  


So, he smiles and nods.  
  


“Something like that, sure. Let’s go.”  
  


He’ll try to restore whatever charm it had in secret after Christmas, it’s fine.  
  
  


They slowly make their way across the shopping center that way. Wooyoung, spotting a new shop that interests him and asking if an item is cursed or charmed. Mingi, responding as accurately as he can without disappointing Wooyoung. Because most of the objects that interest Wooyoung have literally not a single magical property to them. But they’re still nice items anyway for like decor or practical use… so it’s not... all bad.  
  


Hongjoong has apparently found this whole experience entertaining. Hasn’t bought much aside from supplies he thought would look good in a sculpture of some sorts. A few times he had bought everything he needed before Wooyoung and Mingi were done so they’d step outside and he’d already been there, looking up to the sky or checking his phone.  
  


It’s peaceful.  
It’s nice.  
  


Mingi’s happy he came along with them. They don’t get to spend a lot of time like this with their busy schedules. Mingi is a business major but he’s been taking cosmetology classes on the side. Wooyoung, a dance major... wants to teach kids how to dance so he’s been part-timing at a daycare for the job experience. Then there’s Hongjoong…  
  


Hongjoong with a fashion line that has been on an actual runway, taking art classes, performing at underground clubs with his rapping, holding a relationship in the middle of all that? Mingi may be the magical one here but what Hongjoong does is truly magic. He’s not sure how he does it but he’s certain that Hongjoong can do anything he puts his mind to.  
  


“So, Hongjoong was over at your place last night and dyed your hair?”  
  


Mingi snaps out of his thoughts to look at Wooyoung who is rummaging absent-mindedly through the items in one of his shopping bags. The brief moment of silence is enough for Wooyoung to look over.  
  


“Yeah?” He phrases it as a question in his own confusion.  
  


“Can... _I_ come over to your place and _you_ dye my hair?”  
  


They stop on the sidewalk as a car passes. Waiting for the crosswalk to continue on down the road. There are more people in this area and for good reason. There’s a hot cocoa station over there by the park and that’s where they’re heading. It has quite a line though…   
  


Mingi stares out in that direction with a thoughtful expression on his face but turns to Wooyoung with a gentle smile and messes up his hair despite Wooyoung’s protests and laughter.  
  


“You don’t need to make up an excuse to come to my house! I’d never hide anything from you. You’re one of my dearest friends, Wooyoungie.. you know that…”  
  


He considers ending that sentence with a ‘right?’ but the expression on Wooyoung’s face shows that he doesn’t need to. Wooyoung looks surprised mixed with shock and he quickly speaks up.  
  


“Of course I know that! It’s not just an excuse… I have been thinking about dying my hair for a little while.”  
  


Not ‘just’ an excuse.  
So, it was also an excuse but it’s not far-reaching for Wooyoung to want to dye his hair when nearly all of his other friends have colored hair in some form or another.  
  


“I’m not really the best at dying hair.. _Hongjoong_ has more experience than—”  
  


“I can do it. Your place again, right?”  
  


Both Wooyoung and Hongjoong look to Hongjoong as he looks up from his phone. He pauses and looks between the two of them with a blank confused stare.   
  


“What? It’s no problem.”  
  


Mingi looks to Wooyound and then to Hongjoong. Brows furrowed in concern.  
  


“What about…?” He lets the question hang in the air.   
  


Hongjoong looks confused for a moment then seems to get it. He chuckles a bit and rubs the back of his neck as his head ducks in a smile that can’t help but rise to his lips.  
  


“He’ll be fine. If I had plans tonight, I wouldn’t have offered. He’s busy packing up so we can go see his family for the holidays. I’ve already let him know where I’ll be.”  
  


Wooyoung practically bounces in place but it’s not the hair dye he’s excited about. Well… maybe it’s a little bit of the hair dying he’s excited about but also!!  
  


“That’s great, Hongjoong!! A holiday trip with your partner… meeting the parents.. maybe a surprise engagement..?”  
  


Wooyoung wiggles his eyebrows directly in front of Hongjoong’s face and Hongjoong just laughs and pushes him away.   
  


“We’ve only been dating for a year, Woo. I don’t think marriage is that close around the corner. We’re both very busy people…”  
  


“Kissing under a tree and skipping classes together…” Wooyoung adds with a blown kiss and a wink.  
  


His expression turns to fear momentarily when Hongjoong sets down his bags and the chase begins. They both go running down the way towards the hot cocoa stand leaving Mingi standing there on the street corner surprised and laughing at the wind.  
  


Now, what.  
  


Despite standing in that place for a few moments, his friends have just… run off into the distance. They’ve probably gotten in line for the hot cocoa… he assumes. He looks at his phone and then over to the small stand right before the park.  
  


Then he gets a text message. From Hongjoong.  
  


Hongjoong asks him to look after the bags and meet them in the park in half an hour. An oddly specific amount of time but he guesses they were given an estimation on how long it would take to get the hot cocoa in the line? He shrugs slightly to nobody in particular and types out a simple ‘ok, np’ with a thumbs up and smiley emoji.  
  


And he returns to the mental question of ‘now what’ as he stands there with the two bags held in one hand. It’s a good thing Hongjoong didn’t do much shopping.  
  


There’s no shopping Mingi wants to do here. Honestly, he’s had enough shopping for one day despite not buying a single thing himself. The sun is starting to set because they’ve been out so long. The lights lining the streets looking more full of life. It’s a bright and beautiful view of Christmas.  
  
  


What is he going to do for Christmas?  
  
  


Mingi lets out a small sigh at the thought and crosses the street. He might as well wait in the park if his mind is going to wander all on its own.  
  


All of his friends are busy for the most part. Parties or exams aplenty. They have a family to be with and big events to attend as a family. Mingi has a family to see on Christmas but it’s not for the whole day. He goes by in the morning, opens presents with his family, has breakfast… then his parents have a party to attend with their parent friends and his sister has to take her kids out for a winter experience event at some Christmas village.   
  


Leaving... just him.  
Alone at the end of the day on Christmas.  
  


He loves his family! Really. They’re great people that have been nothing but kind and supportive of him for his entire life growing up even when he came out as bisexual and, in that regard, he’s privileged. He knows that if he mentioned his concerns, they would drop everything and spend the rest of the day with him.   
  


But there’s something in him that can’t take away from his family having fun somewhere. Even if it is without him. So, he hasn’t said anything. It’s okay. He can handle that. He’s an adult and they expect him to be studying anyway.  
  
  


Snow crunches under his feet as he deviates off the swept stone path into the park. People are sledding with their kids. Snowball fights are happening. Plain trees are decorated in lights and there are even those archways of lights and other standing figure designs. There’s one bush in particular that he notices the lights hanging too heavy on and it just looks sad in a funny way. He has a little chuckle at that.  
  


Lights along the path seem to lead to a set of archways and an area that is lit up by… spotlights? His curiosity gets the best of him and he starts to follow the lights.  
  


To a small ice skating rink centered around a Christmas tree. There are benches, a fireplace outdoors, it’s a really nice spot.  
  


But something draws his attention elsewhere.  
  


There’s a lot of people in this area. Sitting around, mingling, ice skating… and only one person that stands alone.  
  


A man stands leaned against the barrier wall to the ice rink propped by his hands behind him. A familiar face. Strangely familiar. A face he hasn’t seen in years. Eyes to the night sky as snow begins to fall… wearing a black fur-lined coat and a beanie. Breathe escaping his mouth in a misty puff of white.  
  


Normal clothes.   
Huh. Didn’t know he could do that.  
  


Mingi unzips his jacket and lifts the necklace out of his hoodie by its leather chord. Strangely… it glows with a light blue essence. No normal Christmas for the household witch. He looks up from the necklace for a moment to the figure still standing there as snow falls around them. He wouldn’t have it any other way, honestly.  
  
  


All is quiet as he makes his approach. It’s like all the sounds around them— the Christmas music, the people talking, the scrapping of ice as the skaters circle around— it just seems to silence. To dim into a dull hum on the horizon. It’s the shifting of his leather jacket as he leans on the ice rink wall facing the opposite direction that calls attention to his presence. Snapping the eyes of this nameless individual to Mingi, recognition slowly filling his gaze.  
  


“I thought winter fairies couldn’t feel cold…?”  
  


Yeosang startles. His eyes dart around the area as if to make sure nobody can hear them and then he seems to sigh fondly, shaking his head to the ground.  
  


“As it turns out… spirits can’t but winter fairies can.”  
  


Mingi drops his cool act of looking disinterestedly out at the skaters to look to Yeosang with a shocked gaze. Leaning to the side to rest only one arm on the barrier and position his body facing Yeosang so he can look him dead on.  
  


“No way! All this time I thought—”  
  


Yeosang laughs a little, breaking Mingi off from his thoughts because… well, because… his laugh is so delicate and light. He laughs with his eyes shut and a gloved hand to his mouth that the puffs of the white case around. His cheeks tinted pink, his nose the same. He wears a beanie but little tufts of his white hair, cut short, peak out from underneath it. It’s different. He looks more human, more… real... than the day he met him.  
  


“How?” He simply asks, spoken in amazement and quiet. Unintentionally voicing the question aloud.  
  


Yeosang looks to Mingi with his bright blue eyes shifting in an ocean of blue tones. There’s curiosity on his brows and a soft grin rises to his lips that has Mingi shyly looking away.   
  


“I have a theory but no solid proof.. say, you wouldn’t have happened to mention a certain ‘winter fairy’ to multiple people over the past few years… would you?”  
  


In an instant, Mingi’s mind flashes back to every time he’s told stories about his experiences to anyone who would listen. Every single one of his friends knows about it. He’s told his parents many times… his sister’s kids, their friends…  
  


The nervousness starts to settle over him as he stares at Yeosang in silence, his expression probably giving him away completely.  
  


He’s heard of the ability to make something real by having enough people believe in it but he wasn’t sure that could even happen! He didn’t know he had convinced so many people… A small amount of guilt hangs over him because this spirit had spent many years in the world like that and suddenly his whole life has changed.  
  


“I, uh… might’ve. I’m sorry.”  
  


Mingi says the words quietly as he looks to the ground, bites his lip. But Yeosang’s hand falls onto his shoulder and draws his attention back. Yeosang’s expression is a mix of concern and amusement.  
  


“It’s not like that... I’m happy with the change! It allows me to interact with the world in ways I couldn’t before.”   
  


Yeosang pauses for a moment and looks to the sky then smiles. He waves a hand to the left when he’s sure Mingi is looking there and the snow falls a bit faster and at that angle for a moment. And, in words he whispers like a secret, “It’s pretty fun if you ask me.”   
  


Mingi finds himself smiling at that. It’s contagious energy, the way he smiles and reassures. There’s amazement in the way he can shift the weather. There’s a wonder in the limits of such ability. Curiosity. Intrigue. But mostly there’s joy and pride.  
  


Though in the small pause of them looking at each other, something startles Mingi, and bats his own forehead slightly with the base of his hand. Which, in turn, startles Yeosang.  
  


“Ah… It might be a bit late for introductions but… Hi. I’m Mingi.”  
  


Yeosang looks at the hand outstretched to him for a moment. Someone who he never expected to see again. Finally knowing his name… seeing the charm he left him those years ago around his neck. It’s surreal. He takes his hand.  
  


“Yeosang.”  
  


They stand there and talk about anything and everything at the same time. Updating each other on their lives, telling stories of travels, Yeosang sharing a few from his past wandering the world. Though somehow how he became a spirit never comes up and Mingi doesn’t dare to ask.   
  


If it’s cold enough, Yeosang can make it snow and change the direction it falls. He can move snow on the ground, clearing roads without a shovel. He can freeze a lake to ice skate on it or walk on water freezing individual spots under his feet as he goes. Small things that people won’t notice if they’re present when he does it.  
  


It’s incredible.  
He’s incredible...  
  


Mingi talks about his friends. Their holiday plans, late-night hair dying sessions, college parties, all the trouble they’ve gotten into for fun. He doesn’t realize he’s rambling until he looks over to Yeosang who has sat down dangling his legs off the wall, smiling with his head quirked to the side looking back at him. He blushes and laughs himself into stopping his speech.  
  


Good timing on his part.  
His phone rings.  
  


Buzzes, more accurately. It’s a text message from his friends. They’re looking for him. Has it really been an hour? Oh no. He texts them back quickly to not worry them and tells them where he is. Yeosang leans in and looks over his shoulder.  
  


Mingi looks over at him and leans back on the barrier next to him so he can read better. Giving it a few moments and then pointing to the display names on the group chat he has open on his phone.  
  


“Those are my friends,” Mingi says. A small smile on his lips like what he says is a secret. Yeosang eyes him with patient curiosity, intrigued with a grin. He hesitates momentarily before resting his head on Mingi’s shoulder.  
  


The action seems to make Mingi shy. He laughs and looks off to the side. “I was supposed to meet up with them like twenty minutes ago for hot chocolate.”  
  


“What a rebel.”  
  


Yeosang pauses. He lifts his head off Mingi’s shoulder and leans back. There’s a concern in his expression and he bites his lip as he looks off in the direction of the speakers that blast out pop carols in the distance. “I’m not keeping you... am I?”  
  


“Of course not!”  
  


Mingi answers immediately without thinking about it and Yeosang looks surprised. He realizes he should explain but the way Yeosang looks in the lights with his cheeks flushed and expression so open freezes him in place. He sputters his words.  
  


“I would be here anyway... the lights drew me in and then you did and I want to introduce you to my friends because you mean a lot to me... even though I only learned your name for the first time today. I hope that’s not weird! But something about meeting you made me want to learn more and I did!! And that’s why I’ve practiced spellcraft so I feel like I owe a lot to you... I don’t know. All this time, I've thought about ways to contact you, to see you again, and thank you for saving me that night and now you're here! Right in front of me...”  
  


There’s silence. Mingi looks to the ground still. It’s a long amount of silence and he shifts snow around on the ground with his foot. Then he looks up at Yeosang from the corner of his vision.  
  


“Too much?”  
  


Yeosang laughs. Actually laughs. His flushed cheeks even redder than before, smile from his lips to his eyes. “I see you never lost your honesty.”  
He hops off the barrier and takes Mingi’s hand in his. Swings their combined hands together in place for a moment then looks into his eyes with those swirling blues.  
  


“I’d love to meet your friends, Mingi...”   
  


Yeosang suddenly looks down at their interlocked hands. Worry on his face. Mingi worries as well. He fears a 'but' incoming. 

  
"But I don't know if they'll see me the way you do."

  
Mingi looks surprised and then a bit confused. His friends know about Yeosang. He's told them a lot about the winter fairy and if Yeosang shows them what he can do then surely they'll believe it. 'Well, maybe they won't see him exactly the same way.' He considers abruptly as he looks at their intertwined hands, tint to his cheeks.

  
"What do you mean?"

  
He decides to ask, leaning down to catch Yeosang's eyes.

  
There's silence. The Christmas music playing lightly, the people walking around. If Mingi looks from the corner of his eye he'll notice his friends entering the area and looking around for him even though at the moment he's in the shadow of the rink just out of view. Standing there with Yeosang's hand in his as he takes that same hand with both of his.

  
"Mingi... you're the first person who has ever been able to see me. And... I don't think anyone else can."


End file.
